Practice makes perfect
It sounds like a year of art would yield amazing results right? Well I say it depends on the artist. You can’t pick up a pencil and expect to be perfect. It takes time, practice and maybe at least a handful of years. A the beginning of my journey I found an amazing video that helped me put things into perspective. Brookes Eggleston at The Character Design Forge shared some strong advice that helped me pushed through to the end. His advice is, if you’re still in your first 1,000 hours of drawing, you should be drawing more. I can say that some pieces I spent 10 minutes on while others took a few hours. And I discovered that I took more time to draw as the year went on. And I saw improvement!

Don’t force it
I had a few weeks throughout the year where I wouldn’t touch my Ipad because I needed a break and I took it. Of course I had a lot to catch up on when I got back, but I wanted to continue and I wanted to finish. If 2020 had a theme for me, it was commitment. For the first time in my life I’ve been self motivated. I stuck with drawing and even created that Youtube gaming channel I had wanted to make for years. So I pushed aside all self doubt in myself and forced myself to work. If you never start, how can you finish? But know yourself and the process because forcing yourself to do something you enjoy, can end badly.

In my youth I used to give up because I didn’t feel happy with my work. Now I understand that the best talents can be learned if you put your mind to it.

Choose your weapon
My supplies at the beginning of the year were an Adonit Pixel Pro and a 2013 Ipad Mini 2. My supplies at the end of the year are an Apple Pencil 2nd Generation and an Ipad Pro 2020 11 inch. I can’t say that using professional supplies will give you professional results, but it’s nice to use the tools because using them fuels familiarity. And if an artist is familiar with their tools, they know how to get the most out of them.

In January, when I looked up tutorials for Procreate, I often hit a wall because I was on an older Ipad. My IOS wasn’t up to date and so my Procreate was an update behind. Now this is a first world problem for sure. I tried to work with paper and pencil but I had such low confidence in my skills that I wanted to work in digital. It was easy to erase my mistakes and even easier to draw with the symmetry tool. Find what works best for you and practice the shit out of it!

You might as well
The year went on around us even when we were stuck inside. So you know what? You might as well do it. A year of art was over in a flash. I was going to get up and live my life anyway. So why not add some art to it? I don’t want to regret it down the line. And if it takes 10 years to become a good artist, why not start today? I’m going to be 43 eventually anyway, I might as well learn to draw until then! But this doesn’t stop at just learning how to draw.

Think about something you’ve always wanted to do. What is stopping you from doing it today? If there’s anything I want to do in 2021, it’s to continue to throw away those feelings of self doubt. I can be capable of many amazing things, I just need to take that first step. And you can too.

Make 2021 a year of doing, instead of wishing. I believe in you! Happy end of 2020, and I’ll see all in the new year!

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Keeping our distance
We’ve socially distanced ourselves all year around but now it’s time to double down on the request. We only visit Sander’s parents once a week because we bring their groceries to them. And speaking of grocery stores, we cannot go in to buy off the shelves. That means if we forgot to order something then we just need to make do. Which is why the next prompt is so important.

What you can do: Plan an online get together with family and friends. Call up people you haven’t spoke to in a while and catch up! Make each other laugh and maybe even sing some holidays together.

Plan in advance
Last lockdown saw a huge demand in simple, everyday items. Toilet paper was sold out, as was flour and pasta. This time we’re a bit more prepared for the situation. Instead of ordering regular flour, we decided to go with wheat flour. It’s the same price and there isn’t a difference in taste. Wheat flour doesn’t sell out like regular flour does and it servers our needs just fine. If we need something else, we get creative. And of course sometimes the best meals come from being creative!

What you can do: Do a bit of meal prep for the week. Make detailed lists of what you need to buy but don’t over buy either. Think about those around you who might need that can of peaches more than you do!

Work from home
Sander works in an office but now he’ll spend every other day working from home. In return, I need to make sure I’ve done my Youtube recording on days when he’s out. That way we won’t clash with each other’s schedules. I know he has video meetings to attend to so I’m going to plan ahead and keep as quiet as I can! It also means I need to a stricter schedule. Sander has a small meeting every few hours and I need to make sure I cook, walk the dogs, and clean around those calls.

What you can do: Wash your hands often and keep them away from your face. If you can wear a mask, do so, but also keep your distance from others. If someone confronts you about your mask, just ignore them. Some people want to start drama and the best think you can do is leave them behind.

Celebrate how we intended to
Sander and I enjoy each other’s company and had planned on a quiet Christmas. We’ve been in quarantine since March so this new lock down doesn’t feel like anything we haven’t already done. We still need to deliver groceries to Sander’s parents so we will see them on the 24th. The 25th and 26th will be spent at home. Usually this is a time for families together and have delicious meals. Instead we’re going to put on a ton of Christmas movies and break out the popcorn! It’s been ages since we watched a movie together so it feels like the perfect time!

What you can do: Go over the top with your holiday celebrations. Don’t throw a party for family members but for yourself! Make the holidays all about you because, honestly, you deserve it.

Please stay safe during this time of the year. It’s so easy to forget that everyone needs to stay healthy, so think of your family members and do what you can to help them. There’s always the next holiday season! If there’s any way that you can bring happiness into your life, then grab it hard! Treat yourself to that show you’ve wanted to watch. Or maybe indulge in a nice hot bath! Practice some self care when you need it because you’re worth it.

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In this digital age, it’s easier than ever to write to our loved ones. Email isn’t even necessary anymore. We all text and receive instant responses. Removing myself from Facebook and living in a different country has made it harder for me to connect. Texting fees and international phone calls are too expensive to look into. So instead I began to email friends.

Let me say it feels as empowering as it did when I was a child. Having a pen pal fills a special place in my heart. Each week we send long letters back and forth. Topics cover all subjects and nothing is off the table. What’s so wonderful about it is that I trust these beautiful people I left back in America. While I thought our friendships could only get so deep… Having them as pen pals takes our relationships to new heights.

Writing is cathartic
I had a journal when I was younger. It was a difficult time of my life and I wrote about everything. The wonderful thing about having a pen pal is that I get to share my excitement and worries with someone else. While a personal journal is a one way street, I can relax knowing that I’m not alone in my experiences. Sometimes it’s difficult to share what’s in my heart. But with my pen pals I get to be as open as I want to be without worrying about being judged. And they too have insecurities and joyous times that I get to read about. It’s a heartwarming journey.

Sharing is caring
When I sit down to type out an email, I always reread what they’ve written. Then I go back and comment on as much as I can while adding in my own experiences. One friend’s father passed away around the time my own dad did. We’ve bonded over the grief and our love of nature, writing, and wanting to find purpose in life. Another shares my passion of reading. We chat about all sorts of things and it’s wonderful to talk someone about books again. Yet another friend can confide her deepest secrets in me, and I know I can trust her with mine. It’s like having a support system with these wonderful ladies and I can’t be happier for that chance to have that.

Catching up on the important issues
Life is a fast moving monster and being away from home doesn’t help. While I’m gone, my friends have grown, added to their families and even experience loss along the way. Since we can write to each other, we can keep caught up without distance to hold us back. I know it will never be the same as being there in person to laugh and to share a meal together but this is a good substitute for now!

Meaningful conversations
Most of the people around me know I speak little Dutch. Because of my language limitations, I don’t share too often. I listen to what has to be said and never contribute my own two cents. By writing these ladies once a week, I get hold onto fulfilling and meaningful conversations. The topics can be simple and easy but in a location where my own voice is quiet… These little talks mean the world to me.

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Be more considerate
Modern living is all about instant gratification. We all hate to admit it but when we want something, we want it now. In a world where anything is achievable, it’s easy to forget to be considerate. Everyone has their own life journey. Be kinder to strangers because you never know what they’ve been going through. Their wins and losses usually aren’t worn on their faces. Treat people the way you want to be treated on a good day or a bad day. A little kindness goes a long way.

Address your needs
Take a deep breath and think about what you need. Like really what you need. My favorite time to do this is at night in bed because I have little to distract me. Think about your day, your week and look back on what you found yourself craving. For me, I wanted to spend more time with Sander. He’s been so busy at work so he comes home and reads most of the evening. Now we find the time to talk to each other and I feel so much better!

Feed yourself
Not only physically but mentally. It’s important to eat good foods but to also expand your horizons. I’ve listed time and time again that I love listening to Podcasts. Not only do I get bits of history and knowledge, I also get a few laughs out too! I’ve really been enjoying Girl Wha?! and Death in the Afternoon.

Learn something new
I’ve been gathering books to read! But these aren’t ordinary books! It’s been years since I’ve read a book about writing and I’m excited to jump back in. I’ve been writing for years but that doesn’t mean there isn’t something to learn. It’s important to always keep feeding your brain new ideas. It helps to keep you sharp in any situation. Even if you consider yourself to be skilled at your craft try and exposing yourself to something new within that area. Who knows? You might surprise yourself! There’s so much knowledge out there and with the internet it’s so easy to reach out and touch it! Go on and do yourself a favor by extending your hand!

Don’t compare yourself to others
I’ve been struggling with this one a lot lately. I’ve got a few friends who had finished the Dutch Integration process much earlier than I did. And while they had a head start on their lessons, I constantly compare myself to them. It’s OK to go at your own pace! We all experience life differently and that’s no reason to place a weight on our shoulders. It only adds so much stress, even if we’re doing our best and working hard! Goals can be achieved at any age so focus on the prize at the end of the road.

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Sander goes to bed at 11pm so that he can wake up for work. This means I also have to be in bed at that time. When I lived alone I could stay up late into the night working on creative projects. I had gotten so used to that lifestyle that even now I find it difficult to turn it off. My mind is always most active at night so I’ve begun to take steps to get to sleep faster.

Take a deep breath
It may not seem like it at first, but breathing deeply and slowly can help calm your body down. Use breathing the same way people use it to meditate. Think about each breath as it comes in and goes out. The slow repetition helps to focus on one thing – each simple breath.

Read something interesting
I love reading but could stay up until 2am if I was reading something interesting. Instead pick up a book that is more factual that gives you something to think about. There’s something about reading these types of books that makes me sleepy. It’s the main reason why I’m making such slow progress on Ghostland!

Listen to something
If you recall my ASMR video, you know that it works for me. But I need to be sleepy for it to work. If I watch ASMR without being tired then I get bored. While I wait to get sleepy, I’ll put on Spotify and turn to my favorite late night music. Right now I’m digging Sleep.

Talk to yourself
This might seem a little weird but it’s good to get in touch with yourself every so often. I take this time to think about my day. Was it good and productive? Did I let my emotions get the better of me? How can tomorrow be better? If I check in with myself I can check why I feel happy or sad and what I can do to make changes. It helps add closure to this day and excites me for the next.

Remind yourself tomorrow is a new day
We often get into a funk that keeps us up at night. I know for a long time I was up late into the night worrying about every little choice I’ve made up until now. We all have these periods in life. Sometimes they last longer than we had anticipated. What keeps me going is that tomorrow is a new day. This goes back to the last tip, but it’s important to know that tomorrow is a fresh, vibrant, time to be alive. Nothing is more exciting than the future. Knowing that helps me sleep a little better at night.

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For me, I’ve been watching the following channels to gain new insights and learn new techniques.

Mango Street
This newly wed couple has been posting videos on photography for a little over a year and a half but they already have over 600,000 subscribers. If that doesn’t interest you then none of the rest I have to mention will. This duo has changed the way I look at photography and artistic vision. From tips to color techniques, they have advice and critiques that cover a broad range of styles. If you want to jump head first into photography (if you’re a beginner) I highly suggest you visit their channel.

SorelleIAm
I just found Sorrelle recently so I can’t say I’ve been a long time fan. However her advice on photography is amazing and insightful. She covers a lot of travel photography but also covers model photography. If you want to up your selfie game or improve how you photograph others, I suggest you give her a chance. She can be a bit blunt but that’s it’s better than beating around the bush.

Peter McKinnon
Peter has slowly been moving into more videography than photography but he still has amazing quality in his videos. It’s awesome to see behind the scenes of his sets. He’s got some solid advice for people looking into urban photography and does deep into landscape photography as well. His channel can be watched by beginners but he’s got some technical stuff that might call for someone a little more familiar with shooting photos. Either way, his style is simply fantastic!

YuriFineart
Yuri has high quality editing tutorials that are for people with knowledge of both photography and Lightroom. While you can be a beginner and watch his videos, it can be overwhelming at times. Lightroom is an intense program meant for photography. It can be compared to Photoshop in a few ways. However, Lightroom takes the control a photographer has over the image to the next level. I would advise learning the basics of Lightroom before taking a jump into his videos.

If you don’t want to watch too many of these channels, I do have a blog I’ve been following for a little over two years now. DIYP is a huge resource for a large number of topics that relate back to photography. From legal issues to tutorials, to how to choose your first camera, this website hits all the boxes. I always

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Expand your hobbies
The best way to start is to find a hobby you want to dedicate yourself too. If you take small steps you can test the waters to see if you want to dedicate time to learning the craft. Developing skills takes years and will never happen over night. I’ve always wanted to draw so I took drawing courses. Yet, I ended up frustrated because I couldn’t be perfect on the first try. This year I’ve decided to revisit it by taking smaller steps. I now have a sketchbook filling up with simple doodles of Animal Crossing characters. I do one sketch a day and color it in with color pencils. This way I won’t get frustrated with my skills and I can continue to draw every day.

Share something fun
There’s another good way to incorporate a new skill into your life. Surround yourself with others who have the same goals. I have a friend who takes the occasional painting class. I’m always impressed each time he showcases a new piece! His skills are growing and as he learns new techniques, he’ll be able to do more complex paintings. It helps to be around other people who want to learn the same skills because everyone can relate to each other.

Getting organized
I save everything I see something that inspires me. Later I’ll go back and focus on what drew me in. Then I organize these into collections depending on how they sparked my interest. I can go back and reference them if I need to and I won’t spend hours searching for that same inspiration. Keeping yourself organized will help you in the long run. You’ll have more time to dedicate to your craft instead of the pursuit of it.

Don’t give up
If I had given up on my hobbies then I would not be where I am today. Learning Adobe Photoshop was a hobby for me when I was 17 and now that I’m 30 I use it every day. I most recently helped design a logo for a new and upcoming business. I had a passion for graphic design before I even knew what it was. I thought it was a hobby for me and I didn’t pursue it in school until my final years. It makes me so sad to think of all the time I wasted doing what others wanted me to do. Instead I’m pushing forward on my own path. Don’t give up on your hobbies. Turn them into passions and you’ll never be happier!

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Get clean
One of the first things I do after being sick is clean everything. I wash my sheets and wipe down anything I might have touched. It seems like a lot of work especially if you just recently cleaned but you’re doing yourself a favor. Being in a fresh and clean environment will encourage you to continue to be productive so that you won’t skip a beat. You’ll also help stop the spread of germs. And honestly, who doesn’t love crawling into a bed with fresh sheets?

Look at your to-do list
If you set goals but feel like you don’t have the energy to tackle it all at once… You don’t have to. Do one or two things at a time and then rest. It would be horrible to relapse right back into a terrible cold so pay attention to what your body needs and listen to it. Reward your hard work with a nap or a tall glass of orange juice. You’ll feel energized to take on the rest of your errands and you won’t feel like you wasted the whole day lying in bed.

Treat yourself right
It’s important to eat well even if you don’t feel hungry. Have light soups and don’t splurge on comfort foods. You’ll end up feeling worse if you have one too many sweets to make yourself feel better. I know that when I’m sick sometimes the only foods that have flavor are super sugary. Instead I brew a cup of tea that is naturally sweet to me. I’m currently head over heels for jasmine tea.

Take the time to catch up
If you really cannot drag yourself out of bed then make the most of it. Catch up on some reading or TV binging you’ve been putting off. If you can’t be productive you can still make the most of the day. If you want to have some educational value added in, read a memoir or watch a documentary!

Never push yourself
This is common sense but I feel like we usually forget because of today’s workaholic attitude. It’s important to lessen your recovery time so tackle only what you can do. If you push yourself you may end up staying in bed longer. Do what you can and don’t be apologetic about it. This body is the only one you have so care for it and it will care for you.

What other tips do you guys have for getting back up after a nasty cold or flu?

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First, if you want to make these at home, make sure your printer’s ink will not run in water. It’s game over if it does. Now we don’t have Targets here (oh the horror!) and that meant that Sander and I had to visit several stores before we could find mason jars. A regular old mason jar was a struggle to find! I was able to find most of what I needed at a single store so getting these supplies shouldn’t be difficult. As for the printables, I’m using Halloween Party Apothecary Labels and Nightmare Before Christmas Labels. While you can use any glue finish you want, I recommend Matte.

What you will need:

• Black acrylic paint
• Paint Brush
• Craft glue (I swear by Mod Podge)
• Printable designs of your choice
• Printer with waterproof ink
• Black Tea bags (The stronger the better)

Step 1
We gotta age those labels! Now I did the first batch to test how both the paper and staining would react and it was magical. How to get your paper so old and yellowed, you ask? By using tea! I’ve known this trick for so long that I cannot tell you where I got it. I will share though, because I loved the final result.

First brew a strong cup of tea and allow it to cool. After you’ve cut out your design, place the label into the brew and allow it to soak. Now I was worried that soaking it would result in the ink washing off so I did 7 baths until the paper “aged” to my liking. It’s important to allow the dyed label to dry completely before dipping again. This way the color can build well and you won’t rip the paper while trying to pick it up.

Step 2

Now that your label is aged to perfection (lol) it’s time to paint your bottles. I used regular black acrylic paint and coated each bottle 3 times so that it was completely opaque. It’s fine for the first layer to be a bit transparent and unfinished. The base is what helps add to the color and deepen it to a delicious black.

Step 3
Apply the labels. I placed down a generous amount of glue before I placed the label over it. After that I spread glue all along the edges and corners of the label so that it wouldn’t peel off.

As you can see, the glue has a different dry finish than the paint does. Coat the entire jar in glue so that the finish is the same. Do this in sections though, you don’t want to let your jar dry and have it stick to anything under it…

And you’re done! Admire your Nightmare Before Christmas Inspired Jars! Feel free to place them all over the place!

If you decide to make these, I would love to see how they turned out!

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Develop a strong voice
Writing isn’t easy. It takes years of practice and an understanding of how you think to be able to place down thoughts into words. It’s easy to imitate how others write. If you copycat every good blog you see, you won’t be able to develop your own voice, your own human experience. This is important because the internet is so vast. There are thousands of stories to tell and there’s more than room for everyone to share theirs. It’s your inner monologue, your fighting spirit, so embrace it!

Growing confidence
It feels amazing to connect with other like minded people. Developing friendships has never been easier. You don’t have to worry about people judging you for your shared interests. The internet has become the simplest way for the shy and timid to reach out and not feel so alone. I’m a 90’s kid and the children today have no idea how good they have it!

A sense of community
Since moving, I’ve lead a much quieter lifestyle. During the week, I’m at home working on various projects. On weekends Sander and I hang out. It’s the two of us most of the time. And while I love him and the idea that we can spend all day together, it’s nice to reach out to some of my friends from home. A small group of them keep online contacts via blogs or regular social media posting. It’s not too difficult to keep in touch. Blogging allows for healthy contact without being pushy about sharing. They post on their terms and you read when you can. Simple!

Learn something new
I can’t even begin to compile the list of skills I’ve learned since I began blogging. My most recent venture is into using Lightroom instead of Photoshop. It’s been a bumpy road but I’m putting along. I’ve used Photoshop since I was 17 years old and I’m finally ready to branch out into new territory. I’ve also begun to learn Premier and Audition so that my video skills can improve. It’s been a hot minute since I posted a Youtube video. It’s because I’m still working on improving my skills so that they match my vision for the channel.

Letting yourself go
Even if you don’t have a public blog, it feels so good to let your emotions out. Keeping them bottled up all the time doesn’t do anyone good. Those deep rooted feelings tend to brood deep inside. When I was young and having tough times in the family, I would write. Writing kept me out of over thinking situations. I kept writing and never gave it up until a few years ago. That was before I started this space though and now that I’m writing almost full time, it feels so good! I’ve learned that pushing passions away can be detrimental to my mental health. So I stopped fighting. I still have a long way to go and develop my writing skills but I won’t stop now!

You should write. Even if it’s not about the issues going on in life, you give yourself a creative outlet to pour into. You get to keep busy, find new ways to be imaginative with your thoughts. It’s not only liberating for yourself, but it gives you an excuse to grow. So if you made it to the end of this list and you still don’t have a blog, I encourage you to get one! Feed it and make it thrive!

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